Police target illegal number plates with new national operation
Drivers using modified or deliberately obscured number plates are facing increased scrutiny as police forces across England join a coordinated operation targeting vehicles designed to evade Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR).
The National Roads Policing Co-ordination Centre (NRPCC) is bringing forces together to share intelligence and make greater use of technology to identify illegal plates. The operation is particularly focused on cloned and false registrations linked to organised crime, but ordinary motorists using modified plates could also find themselves under investigation.
One of the technologies being used is digital night-vision equipment capable of highlighting modifications that may be difficult to spot with the naked eye.
For motorists, the message is straightforward: if your number plate has been altered to make it harder for cameras to read, you could face enforcement action even if it appears normal when viewed from behind.
What are ghost number plates?
Ghost plates are number plates that have been deliberately modified or treated so they can look broadly normal to a person but become difficult or impossible for ANPR cameras to read.
Some are treated with films or sprays designed to interfere with cameras, while other plates may use alterations that make characters less distinguishable to automated systems.
That matters because ANPR is widely used across the UK's roads. It can support policing and enforcement relating to:
- Speeding offences
- Bus lanes and other traffic restrictions
- Clean air and emissions zones
- Parking enforcement
- Vehicle crime investigations
- Stolen or wanted vehicles
The technology is also used by private operators and other organisations for purposes such as parking enforcement.
Deliberately making a registration difficult for a camera to identify therefore goes beyond simply having an unusual-looking plate. It can be an attempt to prevent a vehicle from being identified.
The wider problem also includes cloned number plates, where criminals copy the registration belonging to a genuine vehicle. This can leave innocent motorists receiving speeding fines, parking notices or other enforcement correspondence for offences they did not commit.
How will police detect modified plates?
The NRPCC operation will make use of specialist digital night-vision goggles to help identify plates that have been tampered with.
The Nightfox Whisker equipment being used has previously been trialled by Greater Manchester Police. The goggles use infrared technology to illuminate and capture images in low-light conditions, potentially revealing modifications that are not readily apparent under ordinary conditions.
Greater Manchester officers have used the technology in several policing contexts, including checking vehicles associated with offenders and investigating vehicles suspected of being used by criminals.
Manchester City Council has also purchased equipment for roads policing purposes following trials.
The use of relatively inexpensive equipment illustrates an important point for drivers who assume ANPR can simply be defeated by making a plate look acceptable to the human eye. Police forces are increasingly looking at the physical characteristics of plates as well as relying on what conventional cameras can read.
What happens if your number plate is illegal?
There is an important distinction between an intentionally modified plate and an innocent plate that has become damaged or deteriorated.
UK number plates have to meet specific legal requirements covering their appearance, markings, materials and visibility. A plate that is dirty, damaged, incorrectly spaced or otherwise non-compliant can potentially result in enforcement action.
Drivers displaying an incorrectly fitted, altered or missing registration plate can face a fine of up to £1,000.
The consequences can be more serious depending on the circumstances, particularly where a registration has been deliberately altered to conceal a vehicle's identity or is connected with other offences.
The Government is also considering tougher measures for motorists using ghost plates as part of its forthcoming road safety strategy.
That means drivers should not assume that an apparently minor modification is harmless simply because the vehicle still passes an ordinary visual inspection.
How can you make sure your number plate is legal?
For most motorists, avoiding problems is relatively simple. Check the plates fitted to your vehicle and replace them if they are damaged, illegible or do not meet the relevant requirements.
When replacing a plate, use a reputable supplier and make sure it is manufactured to the correct UK specification.
Be particularly wary of products advertised online with claims that they can make a vehicle invisible or unreadable to speed cameras or ANPR systems. Deliberately buying or applying something for that purpose could create a much bigger problem than the penalty a driver was originally trying to avoid.
If you have bought a used car, checking the number plates should form part of your initial inspection. Look for:
- Characters that appear incorrectly spaced or positioned
- Unusual films, coatings or coverings
- Cracks, fading or damage affecting legibility
- Plates that do not appear to meet the required specification
- Any signs that the registration has been deliberately altered
If you suspect your vehicle has been fitted with a cloned registration, the situation is different. Contact the relevant police force and keep evidence showing that your vehicle was not involved in any alleged offence. Photographs, dashcam footage, receipts and other records can help establish where your vehicle was at the relevant time.
What does the crackdown mean for UK drivers?
There is a legitimate reason for police to target vehicles deliberately designed to evade identification. Number plates are fundamental to road policing, and criminals using cloned or concealed registrations can cause problems well beyond avoiding a speeding ticket.
However, enforcement needs to distinguish between deliberate evasion and motorists whose plates are simply worn, damaged or technically non-compliant.
For drivers, the safest approach is to keep the registration plates completely standard, clearly visible and free from modifications. A number plate is not an area where cosmetic experimentation or camera-avoidance products are worth the risk.
As police forces share more intelligence and use technology to identify plates that cannot be read normally, the chances of deliberately altered registrations being detected are likely to increase.
For the everyday motorist, the takeaway is simple: if your number plate is damaged or non-compliant, replace it. If it has been deliberately modified to defeat ANPR, remove the modification before it becomes a much more expensive problem.